We're only 3 weeks away from the 2008 Nonprofit Technology Conference -- and the price of registration increases by $100 on March 1st -- so if you've been waiting for a good moment to make your plans to join us in New Orleans, March 19-21, this just might be it.

> Register for the 2008 NTC

We're also counting on you to help us spread the word. We know the single biggest reason people attend the NTC is because of the recommendation of a colleague or friend. If you could take a moment to talk up the NTC to anybody you know who would benefit, you'll be doing your part to make this year's conference the best one yet.

Just send them to http://nten.org/ntc for the most up-to-date information. Thanks in advance for telling people about the biggest, most fun nonprofit technology event of the year. It's the ultimate compliment, and we appreciate it!

And, of course, we hope you're going to join us, as well.

Each year for the last couple of of years, we've used the NTC as a showcase for new technologies we think you should be thinking about. This year, we're going mobile, in support of the local New Orleans nonprofit community.

Here's how it works:

Subscribe to the NTC campaign by texting TXTNTC to 69866 or completing the form in the full blog post.

You will receive messages only during the conference. We'll feature a different New Orleans nonprofit on each day of the conference. They will send you a few messages each day, with some unique opportunities and special surprises:

• Wednesday: The National World War II Museum
• Thursday: Tipitina's Foundation (Home of the venue for the Salesforce.com Foundation After Party.)
• Friday: Renew Our Music

NTEN members are buzzing about the upcoming Nonprofit Technology Conference, and my favorite contributions include Deborah Finn's NTC wish list. Another list about the NTC comes from an unidentified NTEN member -- a list of favorite things about the NTC plus questions and reservations about the conference. I also have to give a shout-out to the LOLnptech blog for its comedic relief.

Everyone is invited to share their wish lists, reservations, and other conference buzz in the NTC08 Affinity Group.

In non-NTC news, NTEN member Social Solutions has been given a Future 50 award by Baltimore SmartCEO magazine. Social Solutions provides data tracking and reporting software and services to human services organizations (and provides a discount to NTEN members).

A couple of NTEN members were featured as important social media resources in an article from Global Voices. Beth Kanter and her contribution to Read Write Web, along with her own blog, are highlighted, along with TechSoup's definition of web 2.0 in the nonprofit context.

Social Signal, another organizational member of NTEN, is tackling the question of the ROI of social networking by kicking off a series of posts about how organizations can actually earn revenue with Web 2.0. I'm sure many organizations will be tuning in to this series. Be sure to note Alexandra Samuel's points for consideration, including public perception and tax regulations for nonprofits that generate revenue in this manner.

Finally, continuing her series of posts about open source tools for nonprofits, long-time NTEN member and new Board member Michelle Murrain discusses WordPress as an open source blogging tool: how it can be used and optimized for an organization's needs, and how its applications go beyond just blogging.

Plan on joining us in New Orleans, March 19-21, because registration for the 2008 Nonprofit Technology Conference is officially open.

You know the NTC: More than 1,000 people will come together at the Sheraton New Orleans to connect with colleagues, learn about the issues, share their knowledge with others, and, of course, have fun. But there are a few things you may not know yet:

• This year's theme is "Building Community: Connections around the globe and around the corner"
• David Pogue, the personal technology columnist for the New York Times, will be the plenary speaker. Will he favor us with a song?
• The After Party will be held on Thursday, March 20th, at New Orleans' legendary Tipitina's. You can sign up to get down when you register for the NTC.
• NTEN members save $200 on their NTC registrations, substantially more than the cost of becoming a member. If you're planning on attending our conference, it just makes good economic sense to join NTEN today.

Learn more from our recenty updated NTC pages. See you in New Orleans!

If you missed the inspired, moving, and funny speeches of David and Melissa at the NTC, you can watch them now!

Other sessions are recorded on blip.tv as well and you can find all session materials from the conference here.

We hear you loud and clear. At this year’s NTC we’ll have lots of back channels so you all can connect, find each other, and sound off on the conference. And one of these will be Twitter, which lets you get updates on what people are up to via your cell phone, IM, or through a website.

We’ve heard great things about how Twitter was used at SXSW. Beth took a screencast of the action on the SXSW Twitter page that you can check out here.

So stay tuned for more details on twittering at the NTC and other back channels. Special thanks to Kurt for leading the way, and to Deborah for her ideas!

There has been some community commentary about the value of getting together at the Nonprofit Technology Conference. The NTC is the largest gathering of its kind with more than 1,000 technology leaders from the nonprofit world converging, this time in Washington, DC. Every year there is someone who believes that getting together in the age of the web is a waste of time. We think its very important. Face-to-face gatherings are an essential part of cementing a community, building trust and relationships for collaboration, fermenting ideas (innovation happens when smart people talk - in person and over a beer), and of course (lest we forget!) have some FUN away from the daily grind to remember WHY we do what we do every day.

It's chilly and wet and dreary out. But I'm positively gleeful! Why? Because today is the day that NTC registration opens, and you folks have already been registering like crazy! If you haven't registered yet, check it out! We have a great agenda planned, some fun social events, and lots of ways for you to meet your peers. In short, be there or, as they say, be square! Register Today!

You're all going to submit a little sumthin' sumthin' for the NTC video contest, right? (and you're coming to the webinar on 11/16, right?)

Read more | | | |